Chapter 3: Land of the setting sun
Our touch down in Tokyo was precise to the minute. "Like in Germany", commented my buddy Jürgen. And he continued, "The Japanese have a lot in common with the Germans, they are always on time and love to work a lot".
Well, this was 1976. I am not sure about nowadays. Fact was, I plunged into a world with many opposites to mine. It also meant that in the future I would make many mistakes that could not be consistent with Japanese tradition.
Our family stays were designed in such a way that we could get to know typical Japanese life in different social classes. In Tokyo, my "papa-san" was a television director. In Kyoto, my "papa-san" worked as a bank employee. In Osaka, I found myself in the countryside - my "papa-san" was a rice farmer. The great moment, Michiko would enter my life.
Tokyo - a breathtaking city where we lived in a small space. I got the impression that the TV studios where I was allowed to go in and out were bigger than our home. My "papa-san" made it possible to put me on screen in different TV-shows as "his son from Germany". I was overwhelmed... .
My appetite for media of all kinds grew. It was television first.
Kyoto followed. And a bank manager. I remembered that my parents always wanted me to become a bank manager one day. But even then, I already knew I wanted to be a journalist one day.
Osaka follows. An awesome and wonderful life in the province remains with me from my childhood - just a little bit different. Now I had countless rice fields in front of me. Only many years later in the Philippines would I get the same feeling that I did here. And in Osaka, I met my first love at sight in Asia - Michiko.
It was the love story of my life at this time. I learned that we couldn't walk hand-in-hands behind the public. I learned that she could never travel to Germany and marry me there. I learned a lot more about Japanese traditions.
Six months after returning back to Germany, I got a very sad message from another Japanese close friend. A terrible earthquake had killed her and her family.
Hiroshima was one one of my saddest experiences in Japan that was never forgotten in my heart. Visiting the atomic bomb memorial left me with a lot of doubt and negative thoughts. As an opponent of the arms and war, in 1974 I had moved to West Berlin - a place, where, as German citizen, I couldn't be drafted into the army. West Berlin is a place that would dramatically shape my future. Not only because one day I would even meet Nora Aunor there personally.
After my return from Japan, another big event awaited me in West-Berlin. A trip to Moscow. A trip and invitation. Radio Moscow - German Language Production had written a letter. For me a journey into uncertainty. A journey in between the world powers during the Cold War. I asked my buddy Jürgen to accompany me. "What do you want in Moscow, man? It's already in winter", he asked me.
I could convince him to travel with me. 5 days - not longer! I agreed.
(To be continued!)
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